Menthol cigarettes develop stronger tobacco addiction

The Food and Drug Administration, moving closer to a decision on whether to ban menthol in cigarettes, released a scientific review Tuesday that found the mint flavoring made it easier to start smoking and harder to quit, reports Boston Globe.

When Congress gave the FDA power to regulate tobacco in 2009, lawmakers banned candy-, fruit-, and spice-flavored cigarettes, saying manufacturers had used such products to lure young smokers. But the law exempted menthol, instead instructing the FDA to study the issue, according to Philly.com.

Menthol cigarettes make up about one quarter of cigarettes sales in the United States, and are particularly popular among youths and African-American smokers, research has shown, says Independent Online.